Pasta Al Forno: Oven-Baked Pasta

Pasta al forno translates simply to "oven-baked pasta," but the ingredients included are as varied as the imaginations of their recipe creators. This dish is satisfyingly salty thanks to olives and sun-dried tomatoes lurking beneath the thick mozzarella topping.

Lazy Man's Lasagna

Despite its name, this lasagna is hardly an endeavor for the lazy –– it'll take you four hours to make. But you can be assured that David Rocco's authentic Italian recipe will result in the best bechamel- and Bolognese-layered pasta dish you've ever tasted.

Chicken Carbonara

Italian-Baked Chicken and Pastina

Amp up cubed chicken breast by combining it with bite-size pasta, diced tomatoes and mozzarella in a baking dish. A final sprinkling of Parmesan and parsley ready this easy one-pot dish for family-style service.

Pasta alla Norma "Nuda"

This nuda (or "naked") take on pasta alla norma (an Italian dish rumored to be named after a Sicilian opera) calls for eggplant to be grilled, not pan-fried, and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese instead of the traditional ricotta salata.

The Ultimate Lasagna

Tyler Florence's ultimate lasagna has its name for a reason. The towering layers, the red-wine-spiked, slightly creamy tomato sauce (filled with hearty beef and sausage), plenty of cheesy goodness and, of course, pasta ... all of it will make you melt.

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

Loaded with fresh veggies and Italian herbs, this pasta dish is as filling and nutritious as it is colorful. But it's the three-cheese combination — fontina, Parmesan and smoked mozzarella — that gives this dish its complex, varied flavors.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Mac

Why settle on one comforting dish when you can eat both at once? Here, Rachael amps up standard mac and cheese by adding grilled chicken Caesar salad ingredients — pecorino cheese and the creamy dressing — to noodles before baking.

Gnudi All' Acqua Al 2: Naked Ravioli

If you're not familiar with gnudi, we have a secret for you: These naked ravioli are not actually pasta at all. The balls of ricotta are mixed with a small amount of flour and optional ingredients (here, spinach and garlic), then baked to form tender cheese balls that bear a resemblance to gnocchi.

Lasagna Rolls

Prepare your lasagna in noodle-form like Giada suggests to save the time that layering a typical lasagna requires. Each roll contains four layers of noodles surrounding a spinach, cheese and prosciutto mixture.

Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

Layered with tender chunks of tail meat, this cayenne-spiced mac is a luxurious take on the homey pasta dish. Sharp white cheddar and heavy cream create a silky-smooth sauce, which is balanced by acidic white wine and tomato paste.

Mac and Cheese Carbonara

Bobby Flay sources five different cheeses for this hybrid pasta dish, including the Parmigiano-Reggiano that traditionally accompanies carbonara. Mac and cheese + savory cubes of pancetta = the best of two comfort foods, combined.

Pasta al Burro con Formaggino: Pasta with Butter and Cheese

Strozzapreti

Make this long, spindly pasta from scratch for a fresh Italian meal in little more than 30 minutes. David Rocco walks you through the dough creation and covers the boiled noodles with a simple herb-and-cheese sauce.

Green Pastitsio

Fettuccine with Yellow Squash and Parmesan-Lemon Cream Sauce

Kelsey shows you how by making your own pasta you can customize the flavor –– and color –– of your noodles. Here, she combines spinach noodles with a lemon and Parmesan sauce as bright as the yellow squash sprinkled throughout.